Shoe.



C. H. BROWN.

SHOE.

APPLICATION FILIED JAN. I4. 1916.

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lnvenm". Queries HHrqWn MQMSMW/M Z A? Ty s CHARLES H BROWN, or:sRooKLmn, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO snnnnxcn BROWN, or BROOKLINE,MASSACHUSETTS.

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miners.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. Brown,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of Brookline, in thecounty'of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented anImprovement in Shoes, of which the follow- --struction of shoes.

This improved shoe is adapted to coopcrate with and to'correspond to thegeneral anatomical structure of the human foot. And, having regard tocertain State penal statutes, it is expressly disclaimed by theinventor'that this novel shoe structure is a general cure for brokenarches or flat-foot. This shoe construction is not designed for crippledor malformed foot structures but was invented to provide a shoe havingthe qualities and attributes above-stated, which obviously arepreventive rather than curative. As i well-known, the joints ofthe ball"of the foot form an arch called the anterior Or metatarsal arch. Underthis arch thereis a pad or cushion of flesh which, in walking barefoot,is pressed upon by the bones of this arch. This spreads the bones apartand, when the weight is removed, they are immediately contracted by theflexible ligament fastening thebones together. This action functions asa pump to insure the blood circulation of the foot. As at presentconstructed, shoes are made from I lasts the rear part of theball ofeach of which is convexed. Consequently, the shoes formed thereon havethe ball portions substantially concaved. And, as the natural footstructure operates normally in walking when the foot is presented to aflat surface, it follows that the efi'ectuation of the natural functionsof the human foot are thus curtailed if not completely prevented. Theresultant physical disadvantages and dan gerg are too obvious andwell-known to be enumerated. In this novel construction the inside ofthe shoe is shaped to permit the natural, cycle of operations of theforward arch of the foot in walking to be carried out.

Further, and more particularly, the shank of this novel shoeconstruction is improved.

The bone formation of the human foot is bridge-like Extending from thetarsus or,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. ill, l l't.

Application filed January 14, 1916. Serial No. 72,162.

' popularly speaking, the ankle, are the five bones'which comprise themeta't'arsus. The phalanges, or toebones, extend from the re spectivemetatarsals. The arches of the bone structure are three-the, metatarsalor anterior, the longitudinal or long arch, and

the transverse arch. Disregarding the pad of .flesh, this bone structurehas, substantially, three primary supports. The'first is provided bytheanterior or metatarsal arch which is supported on'the outer and innersides, adjacent the first and fifth toe bones. A second support isformed by the end portion of the fifth metatarsal. This bone support issubstantially in the line of the little toe and is located to the rearthereof approximately at the middle of the foot and forms an abutment orbase for one side on the transverse or middle arch. The third is therear support of the foot structure formed by the heel bone which. islocated. towardthe outer" side of the foot. Along the bottom of thehuman foot and substantially toward its inner side extends the longcord, or bowstring,whichruns from the forward edge of the heel bonetothe ball of the foot at which point it has several at- Y tachments atdifferent points just back of the metatarsal arch. Parallel with thislong cord and very close to it run the main artery and nerve of thefoot. Adjacent thi line,

the inner side of the normal foot curves upwardly at a rather acuteangle to the inner and unsupported side of the transverse arch.Thisnovel shoe construction is made to follow the natural configurationof the human foot in these regards. Thislong cord or ligament issubjected to hard strain as it functions as the anchorage for the twoends of the long arch. When the unshod foot is placed upon the ground orfloor, the tread base is at the outer portion and the long cord bearsthereupon practically through out its length.

The elevation of the heel tends to raise the fifth. metatarsal supportfrom the level surface with which. the contact in walking. This leavesthat support without proper tread base and hence distortion, and strainsare induced unless a proper tread base is afforded. Further, the heelelevation raises the metatarsal arch supports from their natural treadsurface and abnormal strains are there set up. As the inner side of thetransverse arch of the instructure is formed to step is not directlysupported, lacings or other shoe fastenings tend to turn the lnnerportion of the foot over and downward to meet the inside surface ,of theinstep or shank of the shoe. It is therefore important to construct theshoe shank in substantial conformity to the shape of the inner side of vthe foot instep to prevent such foot, distorseat. The stiffening-memberin the preferred construction hereof begins well back in the heel seatwhere it is securely anchored. The

' forwardend is anchored at a point enerally less than an inch in frontof the outside tread of the shoe, that is, the normal tread surfacepfthe outersolepresented to the walking medium. The forward end of thestiffener and the similar portion of a complementary element compose aWedge whichserves the double purpose of supplying proper support to theanterior arch and of maintaining the outside tread of the shoe forepart.Further, the outer longitudinal portion of the shank stiffener islongitudinallycurved to form a tread base, above the level of the ballportion, for the outer por-' tion ofthe longitudinal arch. Thetransyerse elements of this portion are substan- 40 tially horizontal.The inner longitudinal portion is similarly curved to correspond to thecontour of the longitudinal arch at the inner portion of the foot, thetransverse ele ments of this stiffener inner portion beingthereforeupwardly inclined. Through this construction an unvarying treadbase is assured for the heel, the bone supports of the anterior arch,and the end portion of the fifth metatarsal; while the inner side of thetransverse is prevented from being. drawn or rotated .into an abnormalposition.

The general object of this invention,therefore, is to produce a shoewhich will practically and scientifically cooperate with the functionsof the human foot.

A more specific object is to construct a. shank member a'fi'ording anunvarying tread base in a shoe.

' Other objects of this invention will more fully appear from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings and will be pointedout in the annexed claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a womans shoe, theupper being broken away and showing a partial longitudinal through thesole;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of thebottom of the shoe, showing the shank memberand complementary tread former in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the bottom of the shank former as applied to awomans shoe;

Fig. 5 isalongitudinal section of a mans shoe embodying theseimprovements".

As is customary in this art, the upper 1, the innersole 2-and the welt 3are sewed together while the outersole 4- and welt are likewise sewedtogether. And instead of the section usual flat, narrow steel shankreinforcement tacked to the heel and with its floating forward endterminating back ofthe tread of the shoe at the ball, there is hereinprovided a novel shank structure, a selected form of which is shown. Thenovel shank reinforcingmember 5 is shown, in Fig. 1, as embodied in theconstruction of a womans shoe. This member 5, preferably formed ofmetal, steel being used, is substantially -shaped in section throughoutits major portion and of a longitudinally arcuate form. The rear end 6is fiat and has the'aper'tures 7 through which brads 8 or similararticles are passed to secure this end of the shank member 5 to theinnersole 2. The forward portion 10 of the member 5 is slightly convexedupwardly and at its forward end is serrated, a pair of 'teeth 11 beingpreferably. employed. The

upward convexity of the portion 10 acts to preserve in the normal footthe natural condition, and to correct in an abnormal foot the loweredcondition, of the metatarsal arch. These teeth project upwardlyand'engage the under portion of the innersole 2, thus functioning toretain this end of the shank member in relatively fixed position. Thedoubly anchored shank member, thus curved, functions as a truss memberfor the shoe arch following the varying lines of the instep of thenormal human foot and, be-

member has its transverse elenients substantially parallel to thehorizontalsurface of the toe portion of the shoe. The inner longitudinalportion 13 of this shank member has its transverse elements inclinedupwardly. This arch commences at the rear of the ball portion 10, and,as shown in Fig. 1, extends well back into the heel portion of the shoe.The outer longitudinal portion 12 thus functions as a means to bracetheouter portion of the shoe shank from the heel seat to the forward treadand insures an unvarying tread base for the three primarybone supportsof the human foot; The inner upwardly inclined portion 13 functions as asimilar member to retain the shank of the shoe in conformity to thecontour and shape 'ofthe longitudinalarch at the inner portion of thefoot instep.

' A tread former 14:, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, is providedto'form a forward extension of the/inner tread of the shoe and at thesame time to effect a rearward extension ofthe outside tread of theshoe. This tread former is preferably of leather or fibrous substanceand has substantially a triangularform in plan view. The apex of thegenerally triangular forward portion 10 of theshank member receives thesimilarlyshaped portion of the tread former 1%. This former ispreferably fixedly fastened to the forward portion 10 by means of rivets15 passed through the apertures thereof. As is shown in Fig. 1, thetread former has a forward widened portion 17 while the thickness of theformer is greatly lessened at this portion 17. The portion of majorthickness is that. which forms the section adjacent the triangle apex.The shoe is thereby reinforced at that portion of the sole whichcorresponds to the forward 'or metatarsal arch 'of the foot. Suchconstruction effectively prevents any sagging of the inside tread of theshoe under working conditions and properly functions to'support thisforward or anterior arch, while at the same time it substantially formsa graduated for- Ward extension of the inside tread of the shoe. Theoutersole of the shoe is afforded a rearward tread extension through thecooperation of the angled forward portion of the shank member and thethickened angled portion of the tread base 1 1. Such outside treadrearward extension 18 is best shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the application of these novel features to mens shoes, which areusually of a heavier construction throughout, it has been foundpreferable to employ a complementary shank member or filler 19, Fig. 5.This filler is, in this embodiment, shown as made of leather, thoughobviously fibrous or other suitable material may be employed. The fillerhas the same general /shaped form as the shank member 5. When the filleris employed, the forward portion 10 of the shank member is bent at 20 sothat the forward portion 10 is offset to form a stop against which thelower or forward end 21 of the filler may abut.

This invention thusprovides a shoe which corresponds more closely to thegeneral anatomical structure of the human foot. It is designed to beworn by the normal human foot and combines maximum foot support, fit,comfort and durability. The inside tread of the shoe is extendedforwardly so formity of the inner side of the shoe to the natural shapeof the inner side of the foot preserves the foot in normal state. Theshank of the shoe is lengthened, strengthened and formed the morescientifically to pre sent a proper tread base and to fit and supportthe normal human foot.

It is to be understood that the construction disclosed herein isillustrative but not restrictive and that the same may be modifiedwithin the meaning and scope of the claims which follow. I Having fullydescribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In a shoe, the combination of a shank member having .angularlydisposed inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface meeting the outersurface in a line extending longitudinally of the shank member andforming an outwardly presented angle throughout the length of thedisposed surfaces.

2. In a shoe, the combination of a shank member having angularlydisposed inner and outer surfaces, the transverse elements of the outersurface being substantially horizontal, and the transverse elements ofthe inner surface being inclined upwardly, to provide the shoe with areinforced support for the foot along the inner and outer longitudinalportions of the shank of the shoe, the inner surface meeting the outersurface in a line extending longitudinally of the shank member andforming an outwardly presented angle throughout the length of thedisposed surfaces.

3. In a shoe the combination of a shank reinforcing member, said shankmember extending from the ball of the shoe to the heel portion, themember being secured adjacent each end to the sole of the shoe, and acomplementary element secured to the forward.

to form a support for the metatarsal arch of the foot.

j 5. In a shoe the combination of a shank reinforcingmember havinglongitudinally angularly apportioned inner and outer surfaces, thetransverse elements of the outer surface being substantially horizontaland the transverse elements of the inner surface being inclinedupwardly, the forward end section of the member being unapportioned andforming a reinforced support for the metatarsal arch.

1 6. In a shoe the combination of a metallic shank member havinglongitudinally angularly apportioned inner and outer surfaces, theforward end section of the member being unapportioned, and anon-metallie complementary member shaped to. conform to said apportionedsurfaces and extending from a point adjacent the rear of the metallicshank member to said forward end section.

7. In a shoe the combination of a metallic shank member havinglongitudinally angularly apportioned inner and outer surfaces,

' the forward end section of the member being unapportioned and offset,and a nonmetallic complementary member shaped to conform to saidapportioned surfaces and extending from a point adjacent the rear of themember and having ,its forward edge abutting against a stop formed bysaid of]?- 8. In a shoe the combination of a metallic shankmemberpositioned between the inner and outer soles of the shoe, saidmember having longitudinally angularly apportioned inner and outersurfaces, the forward end section of the member being unapportioned, anda non-metallic element secured to said section, said element having aportion shaped to conform to the forward end section of the member andextending therebeyond between the said soles and forming areinforcedtread supportfor the metatarsal arch.

9. In a shoe the combination of a metallic reinforcing shank member, anon-metal lic complementary member conforming in shape to the shankmember and placed thereon, and a non-metallic complementary tread membersecured to the forward end of the shank member so as properly to formreinforced supports for the longitudinal and metatarsal arches.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES H. BROWN.

